The Perfectionists

Chapter 14

"SO IT'S THE SEVENTY-SIXTH MINUTE of the game, and we're tied with Sherwood. And we're all on edge, because this is the game that decides who goes on to state. I'm hanging back in midfield, and here comes their forward."

Uma poked at her chicken with the edge of her fork, only half listening as Gil recounted one of his soccer victories to the table. Next to her, her mother Ursula laughed.

"I remember that kid," she said. "He was massive. I couldn't believe he could move that fast."

"Yeah, he's at Charmington this year. Full ride," Gil said. He took another huge bite of his
Biscuit. "Anyway, so the clock is ticking, and this guy is huge and fast and heading straight for the goal. No one else is even close to him." He paused dramatically. "I'm the only one who's got a chance to stop him."

Across the table from Uma, Gil's dad, Gaston, sipped a glass of red wine, his face flushed and pleasant. Next to him, Gil's mom, Michelle, watched her son with a rapt expression. Uma's mom was on her side of the table. They were gathered at the Arsulus' house for their weekly Wednesday dinner. Harry wasn't there, and Uma couldn't help but wonder where he was.

Just two days ago they'd almost kissed. Or . . . had they? Maybe she'd misinterpreted. Maybe he was going to lean forward just to give her a friendly, platonic hug. That had to be it.

"What happened then?" breathed Michelle, looking at Gil. Uma fought the urge to roll her eyes. She was proud of Gil, too, but that game had been almost a year ago, and they'd all been there. They'd all seen what happened next.

Gil put down his fork and leaned in to the table. "There was no way I could overtake him—I could see that. He was too fast, and I was, like, thirty yards away. But suddenly, out of nowhere, it just hit me like a bolt from the blue. I could see the path stretched out at my feet, like someone had laid it out just for me. It was almost glowing, it was so vivid. And I knew—if I could just follow the path, I would head him off, just in time."

Uma tried to hang on to Gil's words, but she found her mind drifting. She thought instead about what Audrey had told her when she called her an hour ago. All those things Audrey had said about getting called into the police station. About people seeing Audrey go upstairs with Ben. And if the police were onto Audrey, how long before she mentioned who she was with and what they'd done? Then what would her parents do? Uma was all they had left now. This would destroy them.

Suddenly she heard Gil clearing his throat. She gave a little start as she realized that everyone at the table had gone still. Looking up, she saw that Gil had pulled a small black velvet box from his pocket. Smiling confidently, he slid it across the table toward her.

Uma's mouth went dry. Her eyes darted around the table. Gaston had a knowing smile beneath his full salt-and-pepper beard, but next to him, Michelle's hands had flown to her lips. Ursula watched, wide-eyed. Across from her, Gil gave her a come-on-open-it-already nod.

Only, Uma didn't want to open it. She was afraid to see what it was. Everyone was looking at her, though, and every second that ticked by made the moment seem even weirder. She took a deep breath and flipped the lid.

Inside was a pendant, hanging on a slender golden chain. It was in the shape of a small glass ball—inside was a small chunk of something green. The air flooded back into her lungs, and the tension at the table was broken.

"It's a chunk of turf," Gil said, giving her his lopsided grin. "From Husky Stadium."

"That's lovely," Ursula exclaimed, leaning across Uma to peer down into the box. Uma thought she sounded a tiny bit disappointed. Did her mom actually want her to get engaged...when she was still in high school? Then again, that way, she and Gil would be the perfect soccer-playing couple . . . forever.